Tom Tercek

Director of global benefits, Lubrizol Corp.

Tom Tercek

FROM THE NOMINATION: Given the centrality of health care and wellness issues in today's corporate HR environment, it makes sense the program Tom Tercek devised for his company is called Lubrizol Essentials.

But this is no standard wellness program.

“Tom's vision is to develop multiple approaches to integrate the many aspects of an employee's life into balance with their work,” the nomination stated. “His approach integrates employee health, safety, family, career, and social and financial needs into a balanced program to support the individual and is a strong influence on our culture as the accountable caring energizes employees and appeals to their values.”

To connect with the scientific community — Wickliffe-based Lubrizol is a maker of specialty chemicals — Mr. Tercek branded Lubrizol Essentials “with a "molecule' formed by health, safety, family, career, social and financial "elements,'” according to the nomination.

Mr. Tercek is a 23-year Lubrizol veteran who has a long-term relationship with a key nonprofit that deals with health and wellness issues.

In 1997, Mr. Tercek began working with what then was known as the Health Action Council of Northeast Ohio. During his eight years of service as board chair, he helped transform the group into the Health Action Council Ohio, a statewide group with nearly 200 employer members. The nonprofit serves as a voice for Ohio employers that offer health benefits and wellness services.

Barb Belovich, executive director of the Health Action Council, said in the nomination that Mr. Tercek leads by example.

“Tom has excelled as a team player, is willing to teach and mentor others, is attentive to detail and committed to timeliness and is consistently producing quality work as chair of the (Health Action Council) Group Purchasing Committee,” Ms. Belovich said in the nomination.

The council is in the midst of a procurement process for a pharmacy benefit manager for 93 member employers worth more than $600 million annually.

“This is the fourth three-year contract for which (Mr. Tercek) has led the process, each time refining and improving the approach, teaching new employer members in our growing program along the way,” she said in the nomination.